Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome...as Mr. Menicoche said while I'm on a learning curve, I would like to recognize the visitor in the gallery, my spouse, Cheryl Bonnetrouge, who also supported me through this process. I want to say I love you, babe.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to wish the House a happy New Year and say that I'm looking forward to working with the Cabinet on new initiatives for this year. Over the past couple of months, from early November to a couple of days ago, there were many deaths in the Sahtu region. This Christmas, there were Christmas cards, New Year's cards and sympathy cards. In the Sahtu, we had many losses and communities were heavily impacted. I want to acknowledge the families because it was one death after another and families, grandparents and children were all impacted. It was just one after another. The communities are really feeling it now. We need to do some work on dealing with losses in our regions, especially in our communities in the Sahtu. I want to look at that more closely.

However, Mr. Speaker, I want to just acknowledge the people in the Sahtu communities who have already dealt with these losses and hope that this government will also look at an approach to dealing with the losses of the families in the small communities. I want to say, Mr. Speaker, that there are elders who were lost in our communities and a lot of knowledge left with them. People in our region are looking forward to working with their elders to deal with some of the issues that are being faced today. That's all I have to say, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize an elder from the Sahtu: John Kenny. Also a leader from Fort Good Hope, Anthony Grandjambe from Sahtu and also my cousin Ernie Lennie up here, a former Olympic skier. Also elders in the gallery, aboriginal leaders, dignitaries and the lovely group of school children who sang O Canada. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, honourable Members. This time, the first ones to benefit will be our people. We will not stand by and watch the benefits pass us by like the last time a pipeline passed through our land. We need to plan for these types of development such as the pipeline, hydro and upgrading our road systems.

I support the self-government initiatives that will be going on in our region and that people are striving for. We are just beginning to build the foundation of the Sahtu region that will see self-sufficiency through the efforts and the cooperation of claimants and community organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for the support of the Legislative Assembly and the government to assist me to move my constituency towards positive goals and objectives. Many of my colleagues from around the NWT have shared that they have heard similar concerns from their people, so I think we will have many common goals. As I said earlier, this is a good group of people here, and I look forward to working with you.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank some of the people who didn't make it to this Christmas; young people in my region and older people in my region who didn't make it to this Christmas. I want to say prayers for the people. I want to wish people in the Northwest Territories, the old people, a happy Christmas holiday and a prosperous New Year. God bless you wherever you be. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know how long I've waited to say these few words.

---Laughter

I would like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, and also the Premier-elect and the Ministers. Congratulations to my fellow honourable MLAs in this Assembly.

I rise as a rookie MLA for my home region and the Sahtu constituency. However, I'm a veteran in northern politics. I am honoured to be here today. I thank my supporters in my campaign, the elders who gave me advice, my family and the residents of the Sahtu who voted for me to be their elected representative. I would also like to thank Stephen Kakfwi on behalf of the Sahtu people, for his many years of service to them as their MLA. I look forward to working with all the residents of the Sahtu and keeping an open-door policy.

Mr. Speaker, I will be presenting the Sahtu vision that was outlined to me by my constituents. We have been facing some challenges that have not been addressed by past governments. This is a good group of people in this Assembly here. I believe that over the next four years we will give the attention to these issues that they deserve.

We in the Sahtu are fortunate that our region is wealthy in culture, resources and languages. However, I am concerned about the wellness and the welfare of my constituents. My communities have concerns about health care, education improvement, affordable housing and a lack of elders' assistance. I'm looking forward to working with my region to address and to resolve these issues that continue to linger. We are going to work on a comprehensive regional wellness strategy that includes the people at the community level. The last government did not address the support for victims, witnesses and their families who are going through a current criminal trial of sexual abuse in Inuvik. One of my goals in coming here is to raise the profile of the residential school issues in the Northwest Territories, because the majority of my region has been involved in those trials and through the alternative dispute resolution experience.

Mr. Speaker, the proposed pipeline route runs through the Sahtu. We have gone through the experience of the Norman Wells expansion project, an experience we do not want to repeat again. This time, the first ones to benefit will be our people.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to finish off my statement.